Coach Williams' Comments Regarding Davante Gardner

[UticaBusBarn]

Is it this writer's reaction, or is Coach Williams offering some rather insensitive comments regarding Mr. Gardner?

Coach Williams, always is trying to be super-sentive, and usually prefaces his comments with statements like, "Don't mean this to be disrespectful ...", etc.

Yet, he refers to Davante Gardner, after his injury at Villinova, as something out of Sea World. Another time, Coach Williams said he could out-jump, out run and was in better shape than Gardner. Yesterday, Coach Williams indicated Mr. Gardner is just a fat guy who makes buckets.

Excuse me? Putting aside that Mr. Gardner also draws fouls, gets assists, rebounds, can shoot free throws, and seems to be particularly good in the proverbial clutch, these comments hardly seem sensitive, or supportive of one of your team members - an injured team member, no less.

Maybe, these comments were intended to be funny, where taken out of context, or are Coach Williams way of motiving Davante Gardner. However, coming from the Coach of a major college team (who also has a propensity towards chubbiness) seems, well, immature and insensitive ... particularly to an injured player.

[chapman]

or are Coach Williams way of motiving Davante Gardner.

Well, at least you found the answer there.  Buzz is hardest on the players he gets along with best.  If DG wanted to be babied as a basketball player he wouldn't be here.  Buzz knows the value Gardner has to the team.

[NoCheese]

I was hoping all posters were going to ignore this thread. Let's just ignore this thread.

[Stretchdeltsig]

I agree that Buzz does seem to knock the players personally quite a bit.  And he often degrades them as per his comments about Otule, Gardner and Crowder.  There is no need for the head coach to be knocking the players.  What's the point?  is that why he recruited Durley, so he can knock him.

[mu2010km]

giving gardner crap may in fact motivate him... 

yesterday I read the "bo ellis jersey article". ellis mentioned that during the '77 championship game, al had some choice words for players.  he pissed the players off, but got them pumped.  it motivated them. they won.

maybe buzz is trying the same with gardner?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Anybody who thinks this kind of thing is harmful clearly has no male friends or experience in team sports.

[GGGG]

Anybody who thinks this kind of thing is harmful clearly has no male friends or experience in team sports.

Exactly.  When I play pick up ball, all we do is give one another sh*t the entire time.    I don't even think its a motivational technique...and Buzz probably gets it back at him.

[Henry Sugar]

SHEESH!

[Windyplayer]

SHEESH!

Sir, you have one of the best profile pics I've ever seen. Regarding the post, no comment.

[spartan3186]

Exactly.  When I play pick up ball, all we do is give one another sh*t the entire time.    I don't even think its a motivational technique...and Buzz probably gets it back at him.

To be fair, those comments also are not made to the media. I'm totally fine with Buzz calling Davante a fata$$ or whatever else he wants to call him in practice. I think its a little bit in poor taste to call him fat in the media.

Thant being said, I'm also not going to complain about it.

[MU82]

giving gardner crap may in fact motivate him... 

yesterday I read the "bo ellis jersey article". ellis mentioned that during the '77 championship game, al had some choice words for players.  he pissed the players off, but got them pumped.  it motivated them. they won.

maybe buzz is trying the same with gardner?

Al constantly rode his players in practice and regularly poked fun at them during his press conferences. It was considered part of his  charm, and the players loved him.

Because of their personalities and their delivery styles, some coaches can get away with this and some can't. Buzz seems to be one who can, partly because he is so self-deprecating. We'll see over time if that's true.

[downtown85]

Does anyone remember what Pitino said about Caracter (the overweight forward who played at Lousiville a few years back?  I thought his comments, taken out of context, could be considered insensitive.  I think it is simply the coach trying to motivate the player. 

BTW, if Gardner could get down to around 260, watch out.  His mobility and hops would be a lot better and he could probably play for extended minutes due to improved conditioning.  If anyone saw some of the video of him playing at the pro-am he showed he can do a lot more than post moves on the offensive end. 

I think Buzz has probably tried the carrot (telling how good he can be) now he is just using a little stick (being a bit insulting to the guy). 

[TallTitan34]

If a player can't handle what Buzz says, I don't think they are tough enough to play DI basketball.  That being said I think all of our players can handle what Buzz says about them.

(My favorite was at Marquette Madness when Buzz was handing out Sweet 16 rings.  When he announced Jamail Jones the crowd cheered to which Buzz replied, "I don't know why they are cheering for you.  You never get off the bench.")

[frozena pizza]

I seem to remember Buzz saying at some point that from day 1 he has been that way with Gardner, even when he was recruiting him.  Maybe DG likes the fact that Buzz is genuine and doesn't just try to play up his ego.  Whatever he is doing Gardner has responded and has exceeded everyone's expectations.

[MarquetteDano]

I seem to remember Buzz saying at some point that from day 1 he has been that way with Gardner, even when he was recruiting him.  Maybe DG likes the fact that Buzz is genuine and doesn't just try to play up his ego.  Whatever he is doing Gardner has responded and has exceeded everyone's expectations.

One would hope Buzz knows his players.  If they can take it both in practice, at the game, and in the media then it's fine.  As long as he recognizes when he has a player who can't take it and needs to lay off I see no problem from a team standpoint.

From a PC/media perspective there may be a problem.  So if the player doesn't care do we care what the general public thinks?  In this case, I don't.

[The Lens]

No time to reply, need to make trophies for everyone in my son's soccer league.  We're all winners!

[mu03eng]

Clearly there are folks that have never played sports at a competitive level on this board.  Probably all the same people that don't let their kids keep score in their youth rec leagues.

Calling players out, trash talk, getting in someones face, its all part of the game.  Call it motivation or honesty or whatever, every coach does it.  And at the end I'd be willing to bet a sizable amount of coin that Buzz does it less than most other coaches and is just as quick to praise someone when they do it right.

We be chillin' doe

[ATL MU Warrior]

I agree that Buzz does seem to knock the players personally quite a bit.  And he often degrades them as per his comments about Otule, Gardner and Crowder.  There is no need for the head coach to be knocking the players.  What's the point?  is that why he recruited Durley, so he can knock him.

You nailed it!  Buzz recruited a 6'11" 270lb kid for the sole purpose of giving him s**t during practice and in the media.  Team whipping boy.  Geez...

[frozena pizza]

To paraphrase Dan Hawkins, "It's Division 1 basketball!  It's the Big East!  This ain't intramurals!  If you're bummed about being called fat, go play intramurals brother."

[tower912]

Or it could be a riff to future recruits.   "Hey, look what I was able to accomplish with the worst player over 6'2 in Texas and a short fat guy who looks like he belongs in seaworld.   If I turn them into players and win with them, imagine what I can do with somebody 6'10, athletic, who can walk and chew gum at the same time."     We seriously need to play more games more often so that the Marquette Worrier fanbase can't get torqued up.  

[Milkshakes]

Clearly there are folks that have never played sports at a competitive level on this board.  Probably all the same people that don't let their kids keep score in their youth rec leagues.

In my experience we gave each other loads of grief within the team.  Publically, however, we had each other's back at any cost even if you really didn't like the guy.  I think that is the issue here.  Buzz can ride them to the cows come home in practice, in the game, and everywhere else.  To the media though I think he should take a different tone.

[warthog-driver]

Anybody who thinks this kind of thing is harmful clearly has no male friends or experience in team sports.

+1 Or spent time in an Air Force fighter squadron

[tower912]

Or in a fire station.

[wadesworld]

However, coming from the Coach of a major college team (who also has a propensity towards chubbiness) seems, well, immature and insensitive ... particularly to an injured player.

You haven't seen Buzz up close this year then.  He has lost a TON of weight and is really thin now.

[MUWarrior4Life]

Give it a rest, U reading 2 much into everything